Hester's punishment is that she's required to wear a scarlet letter "A" on the bosom, or chest, of her dress. This will easily identify her as an adulteress to anyone who sees her. The magistrates hope that Hester will feel the shame of her sin more profoundly, since everyone will know what she did and, therefore, shun her because of it. They eventually end up ostracizing her--physically and emotionally-- from this community, thus ridding it of another sinner.
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